I think this is a little about the content vs process aspect of a mediation / dialogue process. So finding when and where to focus on the structure vs relationship building and learning to wrap the two together in a way that change is enabled. Hope that makes sense.

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Tim

4/2/2016 09:12:18

Yes! And I think it is a slightly false dichotomy ... the purpose of a process is to serve content - to tackle a problem or issue. That is why we have all these participatory processes and are working on shifting people's understanding of how to lead in these increasingly complex times. There is real work to get done - when the training happens in isolation from he real work, it can be a great moment of personal epiphany but have very little impact on the systems and structures around us ...

Yes! This is exactly the rub. Thanks for naming it so clearly. When I am brought into systems as a 'trainer' and there is no power and influence to build 'capacity' to support the new ways/thinking, I have noticed that the now enlightened spin along the continuum between disenchantment and elitism ('they don't get it'). This gives me new motivation to emphasize 'capacity building' up front. Haven't thought about the 'communications strategy' frame. Curious what you cook up there!

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Tim

25/2/2016 05:59:41

Thanks Kelly. Great to hear you on the blog. We're working on it .... specifically I am working in one spot where we are trying to capture the learning through evaluation on cross departmental collaboration, internal communications and staff engagement - that way we can have data that makes the case for not just capacity building but changes in organizational structure to support it ...